Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update

Growing consistent evidence indicates that hypofunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) transmission plays a pivotal role in the neuropathophysiology of schizophrenia. Hence, drugs which modulate NMDA neurotransmission are promising approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia. The aim of this articl...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: C. Chaves, C.R. Marque, C. Trzesniak, J.P. Machado de Sousa, A.W. Zuardi, J.A.S. Crippa, S.M. Dursun, J.E. Hallak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 2009-11-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2009001100002
_version_ 1818286372934385664
author C. Chaves
C.R. Marque
C. Trzesniak
J.P. Machado de Sousa
A.W. Zuardi
J.A.S. Crippa
S.M. Dursun
J.E. Hallak
author_facet C. Chaves
C.R. Marque
C. Trzesniak
J.P. Machado de Sousa
A.W. Zuardi
J.A.S. Crippa
S.M. Dursun
J.E. Hallak
author_sort C. Chaves
collection DOAJ
description Growing consistent evidence indicates that hypofunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) transmission plays a pivotal role in the neuropathophysiology of schizophrenia. Hence, drugs which modulate NMDA neurotransmission are promising approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia. The aim of this article is to review clinical trials with novel compounds acting on the NMDA receptor (NMDA-R). This review also includes a discussion and translation of neuroscience into schizophrenia therapeutics. Although the precise mechanism of action of minocycline in the brain remains unclear, there is evidence that it blocks the neurotoxicity of NMDA antagonists and may exert a differential effect on NMDA signaling pathways. We, therefore, hypothesize that the effects of minocycline on the brain may be partially modulated by the NMDA-R or related mechanisms. Thus, we have included a review of minocycline neuroscience. The search was performed in the PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, and Lilacs databases. The results of glycine and D-cycloserine trials were conflicting regarding effectiveness on the negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. D-serine and D-alanine showed a potential effect on negative symptoms and on cognitive deficits. Sarcosine data indicated a considerable improvement as adjunctive therapy. Finally, minocycline add-on treatment appears to be effective on a broad range of psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia. The differential modulation of NMDA-R neurosystems, in particular synaptic versus extrasynaptic NMDA-R activation and specific subtypes of NMDA-R, may be the key mediators of neurogenesis and neuroprotection. Thus, psychotropics modulating NMDA-R neurotransmission may represent future monotherapy or add-on treatment strategies in the treatment of schizophrenia.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T01:23:33Z
format Article
id doaj.art-879e1b030e5947c7b2361683da706641
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0100-879X
1414-431X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T01:23:33Z
publishDate 2009-11-01
publisher Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
record_format Article
series Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
spelling doaj.art-879e1b030e5947c7b2361683da7066412022-12-22T00:04:11ZengAssociação Brasileira de Divulgação CientíficaBrazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research0100-879X1414-431X2009-11-0142111002101410.1590/S0100-879X2009001100002Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an updateC. ChavesC.R. MarqueC. TrzesniakJ.P. Machado de SousaA.W. ZuardiJ.A.S. CrippaS.M. DursunJ.E. HallakGrowing consistent evidence indicates that hypofunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) transmission plays a pivotal role in the neuropathophysiology of schizophrenia. Hence, drugs which modulate NMDA neurotransmission are promising approaches to the treatment of schizophrenia. The aim of this article is to review clinical trials with novel compounds acting on the NMDA receptor (NMDA-R). This review also includes a discussion and translation of neuroscience into schizophrenia therapeutics. Although the precise mechanism of action of minocycline in the brain remains unclear, there is evidence that it blocks the neurotoxicity of NMDA antagonists and may exert a differential effect on NMDA signaling pathways. We, therefore, hypothesize that the effects of minocycline on the brain may be partially modulated by the NMDA-R or related mechanisms. Thus, we have included a review of minocycline neuroscience. The search was performed in the PubMed, Web of Science, SciELO, and Lilacs databases. The results of glycine and D-cycloserine trials were conflicting regarding effectiveness on the negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. D-serine and D-alanine showed a potential effect on negative symptoms and on cognitive deficits. Sarcosine data indicated a considerable improvement as adjunctive therapy. Finally, minocycline add-on treatment appears to be effective on a broad range of psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia. The differential modulation of NMDA-R neurosystems, in particular synaptic versus extrasynaptic NMDA-R activation and specific subtypes of NMDA-R, may be the key mediators of neurogenesis and neuroprotection. Thus, psychotropics modulating NMDA-R neurotransmission may represent future monotherapy or add-on treatment strategies in the treatment of schizophrenia.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2009001100002SchizophreniaNMDA agonistGlycineGlutamateClinical trialMinocycline
spellingShingle C. Chaves
C.R. Marque
C. Trzesniak
J.P. Machado de Sousa
A.W. Zuardi
J.A.S. Crippa
S.M. Dursun
J.E. Hallak
Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
Schizophrenia
NMDA agonist
Glycine
Glutamate
Clinical trial
Minocycline
title Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
title_full Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
title_fullStr Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
title_full_unstemmed Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
title_short Glutamate-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia: an update
title_sort glutamate n methyl d aspartate receptor modulation and minocycline for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia an update
topic Schizophrenia
NMDA agonist
Glycine
Glutamate
Clinical trial
Minocycline
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2009001100002
work_keys_str_mv AT cchaves glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT crmarque glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT ctrzesniak glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT jpmachadodesousa glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT awzuardi glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT jascrippa glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT smdursun glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate
AT jehallak glutamatenmethyldaspartatereceptormodulationandminocyclineforthetreatmentofpatientswithschizophreniaanupdate